ground.

"Fudge!" he called, softly. The dog started, fawned upon him with a
low whine; and, with many backward glances to make sure that he was
following, led the way to a high rock which shelved inward, forming a
sort of canopy above the bank. There, in the rude recess, as he felt
confident would be the case, was the lost child. At first he feared
she might be dead, so pale and motionless she lay; but when he
whispered gently, "Tilderee!" the white eyelids fluttered, then
unclosed; the dull eyes lighted up in recognition, and she smiled a
wan, weak little smile. Once more Abe's cheery voice rang out,
calling, "Found! found!" and the woods and cliffs made merry with the
echoes. His companions hastened toward the ravine; but he met them
half way, carrying the little one in his arms.

What a shout of joy greeted the sight! What a feeling of thankfulness
filled each heart! Mr. Prentiss, strong man though he was, at the
relaxing of the terrible tension, fainted like a woman. For a second
Peter felt his brain in a whirl, then he leaped upon Twinkling Hoofs,
whom he had been leading by the bridle, breathed a word in the ear of
the clever mustang, and sped away like the wind, "to tell them at
home." Who could describe the emotions of the fond mother when, half
an hour later, she clasped her darling to her breast?

What a happy stillness reigned in the house for hours, while Tilderee
was tenderly brought back from the verge of starvation! In the
beginning she was too feeble to speak; but after a while Mrs. Prentiss
noticed that she wanted to say something, and, bending over her, caught
the tremulous words: "Oh mother, I'll never be disobedient any more!"
It was then that the good woman, who, as the saying is, "had kept up"
wonderfully, was overcome, and wept unrestrainedly.

As for Joan, it seemed to her that there could never be any mourning or
sadness again. When she had done everything possible for Tilderee, she
lavished attentions upon Fudge, and announced to him that henceforth he
was to be called Fido (faithful); at which he wagged his tail, as if he
found the _role_ of hero quite to his liking. Joan's heart was so
light that she wished everyone in the world could share her happiness;
but whether she laughed or chattered, or hummed a little song to
herself, the refrain of all this gladness was "Oh, how good God is!
How good God is!"

A LITTLE WHITE DRESS.

"Only three weeks more, Constance. Aren